Folding table leg lock release



June 22, 1937.

S. T. REILLY FOLDING TABLE LEG LOCK RELEASE Filed Aug. 30, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce FOLDING TABLE LEG LOCK RELEASE Application August 30, 1935, Serial No. 38,531

1 Claim.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple, effective, positively operating means for releasing the mechanism which looks upright the legs of certain types of folding tables.

Another object is to provide such releasing means which is located in a more convenient position than previous constructions.

A further object is to provide such releasing means which can operate with the greatest force through that portion of its cycle of operation which requires it.

Other objects of my invention will appear as I describe one embodiment of it in detail. This embodiment shows my invention employed in connection with such a table and table leg lock ing means as is shown in Willett Patent 1,950,- 958 (March 13, 1934), and is represented in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a detail bottom plan view of a folding card table, showing my invention in locked position and (in dotted lines) in unlocked position. A portion of the side rail is shown broken away, and. the legs are shown in section; Fig. 2 represents a detail vertical section taken along the line IIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 represents a broken detail vertical section on a somewhat larger scale taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the parts being shown in locked position;

Fig; 4 represents a detail view similar to a portion of that of Fig. 3, the parts being shown in unlocked position.

Since the detailed construction of a table similar to what I have shown is set forth in the Willett patent above referred to, I will not here describe it in detail except to say that the table top of the folding table is denoted by I and its boundary frame side rails by 2. Pivoted at each corner is a leg 3 connected by a link 4 to a slide bar 5, each two adjacent slide bars being themselves connected by a metal tape 6 passing over pulley I.

At least one of the slide bars is provided with a notch 8 on its under side. Adjacent such slide bar is mounted a resilient lock bar 9 which is rigidly secured at one end to the side rail 2. At its other end this look bar 9 has an extending lug II) which normally bears against the surface of the adjacent slide bar but which is so arranged that when the legs are moved to their extended positions the lug II] will enter the notch 55 8 and will thus firmly lock the legs in position.

While the Willett patent above referred to discloses a plunger mounted through the side rail by means of which the lock bar is disengaged from the slide bar, my invention resides in the following construction, by way of example:

At or near the center of the table top and opposite the notch 8 there is secured a plate II with a screw hole I2 countersunk from its table top surface. Centered over this hole I2 is a circular block of wood I3 provided on its outer side with a handle I4 and having a segment I5 cut away on its inner surface. A center screw I6 in the hole I2 positions the block of Wood while permitting it to rotate. Pivoted to the block of wood within the cut-away segment by pivot screw I1 is one end of a strap I8. The other end of this strap I8 is U-shaped and extends into a recess I9 in side rail 2 so that the main body of strap I8 runs parallel and close to the table top I while the U-shaped end loosely embraces slide bar 5 and the terminal portion 20 of the U-shaped end, when in its position farthest away from wood block I3, rests lightly against or close to lock bar 9 when said lock bar is in its locked position.

In operation, a twist of the handle I4 in either direction serves to move strap I8 inwardly away from side rail 2 thus forcing terminal portion 20 against lock bar 9 and disengaging lug II! on said lock bar from notch 8 in slide bar 5, so that the legs may be manually folded by operating any one. When the legs are opened, the resiliency of lock bar 9 forces it into notch 8, and pushes terminal portion 20, if necessary, to position pivot screw I'I directly in the line between center screw I6 and notch 8.

It should be noted that this construction delivers the greatest force at the time that both the friction between lock bar 9 and slide bar 5 and the resiliency of lock bar 9 have to be overcome, and also that the extent of the crank movement for unlocking is limited only by the distance between pivot screw I I and center screw I6. While in the device described wood block I3 was positioned near the center of table top I so that its position would be fairly constant no matter what edge up the table were held, if so desired the block may be positioned elsewhere and strap I8 may be so arranged as to make somewhat less I than a right angle to its cooperating slide bar. Moreover, although I have shown this invention in connection with a folding table having simultaneously folding legs interconnected, its principle may readily be applied to the unlocking of any folding table leg which is locked by a resilient action or the like.

It is evident that various other changes may be resorted. to in the construction, form,-and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described, but What I claim is:

In a folding table, a boundary frame side rail, a foldable leg, a link for folding and unfolding said leg, locking means parallel to! said slide rail for locking said link in unfolded position, said 

